


A Resounding Heartbeat

by bigfatsalad



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Confessions, Drunken Confessions, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Feelings Realization, Flowers, Forgiveness, Language of Flowers, Light Angst, Marriage Proposal, One Shot, Pictures, Pining, Post-Black Eagles Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Post-Canon, Post-War, Rare Pairings, Realization, Reconciliation, Scheming Claude von Riegan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:15:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25304374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigfatsalad/pseuds/bigfatsalad
Summary: A new dawn. That's what the two had always wanted.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 6
Kudos: 28





	A Resounding Heartbeat

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Harmonious](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harmonious/gifts).



> Screw it, we writing this! I was joking about writing this fic, but now I'm determined to do this. So, Edelclaude, here I come!  
> All art credit belongs to blamedorange! (I have received permission to use their artwork)
> 
> I hope you enjoy it! Please leave a comment/kudos if you did! Many thanks :)
> 
> (criticism appreciated)

The Great Tree Moon. Filled with spring rains and the smell of growing grass, as children frolik through the fields barefoot. Fitting of the season of rebirth, Edelgard had immediately set to work on reforming war-torn Fódlan. It wasn’t going to be an easy task, she was sure, but with the support of her friends and beloved professor, she was confident she could make it happen.

*

Two raps on her door. “Lady Edelgard. You have a guest, who seeks a word with you.” She bolted up from her desk, rubbing at her eyes. 

“Huh?” Stretching and yawning, she pulled out a pocket watch. Half past four. She looked up at her window. Still dark out. _Who could it be at this time,_ she thought quizzically as she rose from her seat. 

“Just a moment, Hubert.” The candle on her desk was still flickering, even as a small stub. She quickly snatched the candle away, being careful to cup the flame as she shuffled to her door. Cracking it ajar, she saw Hubert, her loyal retainer, waiting patiently for her. She cautiously slipped through the crack.

“This way, Your Majesty.” He gripped her wrist and pulled her away.

“Wha— Hubert, what?”

“Apologies, Lady Edelgard. However, this _guest_ of ours needs to be seen in secret. I, of course, will be accompanying you.”

“ _This_ late at night?” she hissed. “They must be rather important, for you to interrupt me while I was working.”

Hubert snickered. “Working. Of course. I’ll be sure to scold them for waking you, Lady Edelgard.”

Edelgard blushed. Flustered, she shook her head, “I-I was _not_ sleeping, Hubert!”

“Right.” He stopped abruptly in front of a door. He scanned the halls, before ushering her in.

“The library?” He nodded, as he raised a finger to his lips. Edelgard took two pinched fingers and zipped them across her own, nodding as she put out her candle. She set the holder outside the door before gingerly stepping into the room, as Hubert shut the door gently behind them. He motioned her to follow him through an aisle of shelves.

_BANG!_ Edelgard halted to a stop, even as Hubert continued on forward. “Hubert,” she whispered, “did you hear that?”

He stopped, turning his ear to listen. He didn't say anything for a few moments as he stood still. Finally, he said, “Do not worry about it, Lady Edelgard. Our guest is waiting.” He continued to walk, leaving Edelgard to catch up. Reluctantly, she squeezed between the bookshelves, taking care to not knock a book out from its place. Though, that didn’t stop her from accidentally bumping into Hubert, who, terrifyingly enough, blended into the walls if he was far enough.

Taking a step back, she apologized, “O-Oh, I’m sorry, Hubert. I didn’t see you there.”

He said nothing, as he was too preoccupied with knocking on specific parts of the wall. Edelgard peeked around his shoulder only to find… 

“Hubert, this is a dead end.”

“Not so, Your Majesty. Allow me to demonstrate.” A hollow echo sounded as he purposely knocked on the wall, a pattern in mind. _Knock, knock. Knoooock. Knock. Knock. Knock._ Slowly, to Edelgard’s astonishment, the wall slid away to reveal a secret passageway. Bowing, Hubert backed away from the entrance. “Go ahead, Lady Edelgard.”

Cautiously, she stepped into the opening, with Hubert following close behind. Once they were both inside, he carefully slid the panel back over the entrance, concealing the passage once more. He plucked up a lantern hanging from the wall, lighting it with a burst of fire magic.

“Follow me.” The pair silently trudged through the passageway; the echoing of their footsteps and the occasional drip of water made Edelgard’s eye twitch. The musky smell mingled with the dusty air, infiltrating and attacking every one of her senses; it made her feel a bit dizzy. If Hubert was feeling the same way, she couldn’t tell.

“How long have we had this passage for, Hubert?” she coughed. 

“Centuries, Lady Edelgard.”

Mumbling, she pouted, “How was I unaware of this?” 

He snickered darkly. “You may be one of the few royals to ever discover it. I do hope the smell isn’t too overbearing for you, Your Majesty.”

“No, it’s… quite alright.”

“Trust me, Lady Edelgard,” he reassured her, “we aren’t too far from our guest now.”

*

Once they had reached the end of the corridor, they were greeted by a door; it was sealed with an iron bar, and seemed heavy to push. Hubert motioned her forward, placing his lantern on the floor by the door. 

“If you could, Your Majesty, give me a hand with this? It’s always been a tad bit too heavy for me to do by myself.” Nodding, she braced herself to lift the bar. “On my mark. 1. 2. 3!” Grunting, the two lifted the bar with as much strength as they could muster; Edelgard hadn’t lifted in sometime, and Hubert… well, he was frail to begin with. They dropped the bar to the ground with a _thud_ , which resonated through the tunnels like a crash of waves.

Breathing heavily, she wiped the sweat off her brow with the back of her hand. She was _definitely_ rusty.

“I can handle the rest from here, Your Majesty. Catch your breath; it wouldn’t do good for our _guest_ to see you in such a state.”

Edelgard sighed. “You’re right. Give me a moment.” 

Nodding, Hubert began to work on getting the door open. He leant up against it, putting all his weight onto his shoulder to nudge it open. It began to scrape open painfully slow; the sound of the door scratching against the floor was grating to her ears. She cupped her hands over her ears, hoping it’d make the sound less… aggravating. 

Thankfully, Hubert had gotten the door open enough to allow one to squeeze through. “Our guest should be in here, Your Majesty. I will wait outside here for you.”

“You’re not coming with me, Hubert?” she asked. He only shook his head, a devious smirk on his face. 

“I’m sure you will be perfectly capable without me. Go on, Your Majesty. Should anything happen, I’ll make sure that fool regrets it.”

“Hmm.” Hesitantly, Edelgard slipped through the small crack in the door. 

*

The room she had entered was a stark contrast to the atmosphere of the passageway. While the passage was murky, dank, and decrepit, this room was blank-white, had no odors, and looked to be in top condition. 

Scanning the room, she saw nothing. No furniture, no _guest._ As she stepped into the middle of the room though, she heard someone click their tongue. Edelgard spun around, only to see a chair propped up against the wall she’d walked in from. 

The man sat on the chair looked to be around the same age as herself; his tousled hair was a rich shade of brown, reminiscent of the scales of an Almyran wyvern, and his eyes were a striking, verdant green, which did well to compliment his tanner skin. He wore robes fitting of a noble, as the banner of the, now former, Leicester Alliance hung from his right shoulder. From the other, a pauldron held his golden cape in place. Only one person she’d ever known dressed like that.

Edelgard immediately pounced into a defensive stance. “Claude!”

“Greetings, Your Majesty.” An easy smile slipped onto his lips. “Or, can I just call you ‘Edelgard?’” His words flowed out smoothly, and charismatically. It was as if they hadn’t fought a bloody, brutal war a few months ago.

“You may not.”

“Oh come on, Your Majesty. Relax a bit. We aren’t enemies anymore.”

“As far as I’m concerned,” she spoke strictly, “we still are. Unless, you’ve come here for good reason?”

Claude dramatically placed a hand over his chest. “Ouch!” Chuckling, he relented. “Okay, okay. I assure you, I _have_ come for a good reason.

“Remember that day, at Derdriu? You and Teach had spared my life.”  
  


“I recall, yes.”

“Well, I also promised that I’d repay your kindness one day.” He stood from his chair. “I want to help you create better relations between Fódlan and Almyra.”

“Is that so? Hmm…”

He nodded. “Yes. I have seen, first-hand, how _terribly_ they treat one another. Only more death and destruction will be left in the wake of this hate, and I can’t stand by and let it happen. You’re reasonable, so I—” He sighed, palming his face. “It’s the least I can do. As the King of Almyra, I want to break these _silly_ barriers. I’m sure you agree, Your Majesty?”

Her eyes widened. “King? Are there any formalities I should—”

He shrugged. “None, really. I’m not too big on those. You don’t have to use them anyways,” he added, “as repayment for sparing me.” His face went grim. “If I had died, my people would have lost their King that day. I can’t leave them like this, you understand.”

“I do, but…” She bit the inside of her cheek, hesitating to trust the sly fox before her. _He isn't wrong though..._ “Fine,” she relented. “You’re right, about fixing these shaky relations. And I definitely can’t do it alone.” Edelgard rubbed her temples. Sighing, she continued, “How do you propose we do this though? We’d need to create a strong plan capable of destroying centuries worth of hate and discrimination.”

“That? Well, you have weekly meetings, don’t you? Where all of your government officials discuss how to fix all of this ‘after-war’ stuff? I’ll pitch my plan at one of those. If that’s okay with you, Your Majesty?”

“How do you even know— Nevermind.” She sighed, “Well, _I’m_ fine with it, but I’m not sure if my officials would be. You _are_ considered an enemy of the state, after all.”

Claude frowned. “ _That_ again?” He shook his head. “If it’s such a problem, just tell them I owe you a debt, and this is me looking to settle it.”

“Hmm… That may just work,” she thought aloud. She crossed her arms over her chest, stern in her speaking. “Don’t be late then.”

“Alright!” He extended a hand to Edelgard. “Then I suppose this is a deal then.” She shook his hand. His grip was firm.

“Don’t expect me to give you any sort of special treatment though. You’ll have to earn your place at my council, and make me believe that your cause is our top priority.”

Claude smiled at her. “Oh, trust me, Your Majesty. I don’t plan on disappointing you.” Edelgard noted that his smile didn’t reach his eyes whatsoever.

**

The first meeting she’d invited him to. He didn’t show up. As the clock ticked in the meeting room, all of her councilmens’ eyes were locked onto her; persistent and expectant. Their stares spoke, even though they themselves didn’t: “Where was this special speaker of hers?” Edelgard always found herself eyeing the empty seat she had reserved for him, hoping that, with some miracle, he’d be sitting right there.

As she was wrapping the meeting up, however, the man himself waltzed through the door. All eyes in the room snapped to him, as he leant back into his chair, propping his feet up on the table. 

“Meeting dismissed,” Edelgard said coldly. In an instant, the room was clear of any officers, just leaving her alone with Claude.

“Already? That finished up faster than I thought it would,” he grinned. 

“Enough of this. Why were you late, Claude?” Crossing her arms over her chest, she continued, “And get your boots off of my table.”

“Oh, sorry about that, _Your Majesty_.” He slid his boots off and uprighted himself. “I had some business to attend to that urgently needed my attention, so I’d hope you would forgive me.”

“You could have sent a page, if it was that urgent. _Nothing_ excuses you from being late to this meeting.”

“Look, it’s not that big of a deal,” he shrugged, “can’t we just let this go?”

“I’m afraid we cannot,” she said, stomping to the exit. Standing in the door frame, she turned to him. “Either show up on time for the next meeting, or don’t bother coming back. This is your final warning, Claude.” She stomped off, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

*

The next meeting, Edelgard was surprised to see Claude already seated at the council table before anyone else, including herself, had arrived. He had various papers piled neatly around his seat. He seemed to be lost in thought as he was scanning through them, so much so, that he hadn’t noticed when the Empress herself had walked in.

Edelgard, standing right behind him, cleared her throat, which startled Claude out of his work.

He jumped around in his seat to face her. “Oh, Your Majesty! You’re bright and early!”

“Claude. What are you doing here so soon?”

He smiled at her. “Didn’t you tell me to ‘show up on time or don’t bother coming back?’”

“W-well, yes, but…” Edelgard paused. “You’re a tad too early, wouldn’t you agree?” She took careful steps to stand in front of him, his eyes following her as she did.

He ran a hand through his hair. “I suppose. However, I need time to get my thoughts in order.”

She plucked up a paper from one of his stacks. Running her eyes over the sheet, she found it to be written in Almyran. She waved it in front of Claude. “What’s this?”

Claude took the paper from her, skimming through it. “Oh, this is an agriculture log from one of our biggest provinces.” He grimaced as he set the paper back onto the pile, meticulously. “It wasn’t our best yield.”

“If you’re trying to convince me that giving aid to Almyra will fix these relations, you’ll have to try a little harder than that.”

“With all due respect, Your Majesty, Almyra doesn’t need your aid.”

“Oh? Then what is this _grand_ scheme of yours that will fix these relations?”

“You’ll see.”

*

“So, if we open up trade and travel, you believe that it will better the relations with Almyra?” a snobby officer scoffed. He turned to Edelgard, pointing at Claude as he did. “Your Majesty, do you _truly_ think something like _that_ could work?”

Edelgard looked to Claude, to the councilman, then back at Claude. “Can you please elaborate for me, Claude?”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” Claude stood, bowing to her as he did. “As any one of you should know, Almyra has _vastly_ different resources than Fódlan. However, due to the previous embargo, Almyran merchants were forced to find other ways to get their goods out, risking life and limb to arrange secret trades with the merchants of Fódlan. Hence why some tea, for example, Almyran Pine Needles, still made it into the hands of noblemen, somehow. 

“Oftentimes, Almyrans would senselessly be slaughtered at the borders, whether from an army or other merchants. I feel that, should this embargo be lifted, and free trade allowed, my people would not feel the need to resort to trading at the cost of their life, and everyone would be able to enjoy the products and resources from each nation.” Edelgard raised her hand, signalling Claude to pause briefly.

She nodded along as she penciled in a few notes. _Better trade = better relations. Better connections = better innovation._ Finishing her notes, she looked up and nodded at Claude, prompting him to continue. He smiled ear-to-ear. He seemed to be more confident, as his voice became more assertive, and he began to motion with his hands, she noted. _Minor gestures of listening = confidence._

“Fódlan and Almyra, alike, have beautiful landscapes, each one unique to themselves. Being able to visit the most breath-taking sights, take in the difference in culture, and share common interests, I feel that travel makes all of this easier. One can only appreciate more about the other once they are able to explore it for themselves.

“At some point, I’d like to invite all of you to visit Almyra for yourselves. Only then, can we truly break the stigma that prevents us from…”

As Claude continued his speech, Edelgard couldn’t help but notice how that scheming prankster of a man had transformed into her perfect image of a capable leader: proud, self-assured, open in his beliefs. It baffled her, but he’d proven time and time again that he was a multi-faceted gem. The warmth radiating from his words proved his passion for uniting Fódlan and Almyra. She saw his ‘true nature’; it was as if the Claude she’d known had shed his mask away. She found herself unable to tear her eyes away from his charisma. It was… 

“Impressive,” Edelgard blurted out as Claude took his seat.

“Oh? You think so, huh?”

“Yes.” She cleared her throat. “I believe that all the points you’ve brought up, definitely need to be addressed, however…” Claude seemed to be smirking at her with his eyes. They were expectant, but more than that, they were cocky. “You have yet to convince me why this issue should be regarded as more important than all of these other issues.” She flipped through some papers, reading off their needs: “War relief, building reparations, the like.”

“Ah.” He laughed. “If you’d like us to break this barrier at some point, wouldn’t it be better to get started on it right away?” Claude winked at her. “Change doesn’t come by itself. No one knows that better than you, Edelgard.”

Furious, she opened her mouth to speak, but preemptively shut it. Snapping, she declared, “Meeting dismissed.” She wouldn’t let him know that he had her stumped. He’d just tease her about it. Though she was sure he could tell anyways.

* 

Claude had always shown up to the meetings earlier than he should’ve. By the time Edelgard would begin arriving at the room to prepare, she found he would be passing her by to get a drink of water or to relieve himself. Even as they would cross paths, shoulder-to-shoulder, they wouldn’t say a word. As much as Edelgard had wanted to pass greetings, the air between them felt chilly. He always looked lost in thought as he’d rather stare at the floor instead.

Pass. Pass. Pass. It was always so awkward. There was a wall between them, that neither one was willing to break. Yet during the councils, Claude always spoke so warmly and charismatically. He looked at her and looked _confident_ while doing so, never missing a beat. What Edelgard couldn’t understand, however, was why he’d built this barrier between themselves, when he was so against them to begin with. Why was it so cold with him?

When he returned, they always sat in silence as they waited for the rest of the council members to arrive. Sometimes, Claude would step out of the room, leaving Edelgard alone to her own unnerving thoughts. It felt as if he hated her, or that she hated him; she hadn’t decided yet. It was an awful empty feeling deep in her chest, that made her eye twitch in anticipation.

*

The next time they’d passed each other, Edelgard had decided to lean up against the wall outside the room in wait for Claude’s return. She’d confront him about this uncomfortable air surrounding them. Whether he liked it or not.

Humming a jolly tune, Claude was strutting along through the halls, snapping his fingers to the beat. He looked so happy. That was until his eyes widened at the sight of Edelgard. He immediately stopped what he was doing, deciding that the floor was more entertaining anyways. Her eyes were glued to him like an eagle’s as he shuffled the rest of the way. Just as he’d gotten close enough to brush past into the council room, Edelgard extended an arm to block his path.

“Claude. We have some talking to do.”

He backed up, raising his head to look at her. For a split second, he looked ready to kill, with his mouth bent into a frown at the corners of his lips and his downcast eyes boring holes into Edelgard. It was unsettling. Suddenly, slipping on a smile, he spoke calmly, “Oh, you want something with me, Your Majesty?”

She hopped off the wall. He backed away from her as she stepped toward him with slow, deliberate steps. “I need you to be straight with me. Why are you giving me the cold shoulder?”

“The cold shoulder?” Claude laughed uneasily, as his back hit the wall behind him. “I haven’t been—” Edelgard slammed a hand against the wall, near the left side of his face, pinning him in place. Claude startled at the impact.

  
  


“Don’t play coy with me. You’re acting as if you didn’t just change your whole entire demeanor at the sight of me,” she snapped, staring straight into his eyes. He seemed to be at a loss for words, as his bewilderment got the better of him. The only thing she could hear between the two of them was his shaky breathing. “Well? You’re always so keen on ‘breaking barriers,’ yet there is such an obvious one between the two of us. Why is there such a wall…?”

“Pfft…”

“Huh? What’s so—”

Claude broke into laughter, tears forming at the corner of his eyes. Edelgard immediately stepped away from him. He clutched his stomach, bent over from laughter.

“Ah, oh my— that’s just, oh hahaha— you have to be— hahahaha, just— whoo!” He slapped his knee, laughing harder and harder, until he was keeled over, kneeling on the floor. 

“W-what?” Edelgard groaned, mortified. “ _Why_ are you laughing?”

He wiped a tear from his eye as he recovered. “Whoa, sorry, Your Majesty. That was a bit too much to handle, for me.” He grunted as he rose from the floor. Clearing his throat, he added, “I wasn’t expecting you to look so cute while doing that.”

“Cute?” _Ba-dum_ . Edelgard’s cheeks flushed. _He just…!_ She shook her head to clear her thoughts. “Nevermind that! I demand an answer, Claude! Why is there this cold, awkward air between us?”

“An answer, huh?” He rubbed at his beard, feigning to be lost in thought. Finally, after some time, he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. “I thought I was an ‘enemy of the state,’ per your words. I figured it wouldn’t be worth keeping up appearances if I was just an _enemy_ anyways.”

“Er, well, that’s…” Edelgard shifted in her boots, ashamed. Sighing, she admitted, “Yes, I can see how that would be a problem. Well, if it makes you feel any better…” She raised her right hand in oath. “From now on Claude, I will no longer treat you as an enemy of the state.”

He was taken aback. “What’s with the sudden change of heart?”

“It seems as if I had judged you wrongly. You’re more reliable than I had thought, so I want to… restart? As friends, Claude.”

“Friends, huh?” Claude beamed at her, holding out his hand. “You know what? I think I’d like that, Your Majesty.”

She reached out and shook his hand. “It’ll just be Edelgard now.” 

*

Claude still hadn’t ended his habit of being extremely early, but Edelgard didn’t find herself minding it anymore. Now, whenever they passed each other in the hall, Claude would flash her a massive grin or wave as he went. It always brought a smile to her face, brightening up her day. 

When he returned, it wasn’t awkward. He would sit, and just grin cheekily at her, waiting for her to notice. Or, he would propose silly things, such as inviting her to have tea with him or telling her to come visit Almyra sometime. She’d always wave him off with a tired smile, but he’d always say, with a wink: “You never know.”

Even after meetings would be dismissed, Claude would always stay behind with Edelgard, trying, once more, to convince her to have tea with him. She’d brush him off, but even still, he sat down and waited, patiently, for her to finish up what remained of her paperwork, cheering her on. She always told him it was okay to leave, but he shook his head, telling her instead: “Not unless we have tea sometime.”

*

“Fine, Claude,” she relented, not looking up from her paperwork. “You _may_ take me out to tea.”

His eyes brightened up. “Are you serious? Alright!” He pushed his chair out hastily. “I’ll be _right_ back with some tea, Edelgard! The best tea Almyra has to _date_! Don’t move!”

Edelgard shook her head, chuckling as he ran out the door. “I’ll be right here.”

*

From that day onward, tea with Claude became a routine, one that she often looked forward to. While Almyran Pine Needles weren’t _exactly_ her taste, she found that a little bit of sugar went a long way. Every so often, he’d bring along some Bergamot, even if he was horridly terrible at preparing it, to Edelgard’s amusement.

Alone in the council room, drinking warm tea alongside her easy-going friend made the major loads of paperwork sound like a good time. The occasional teasing from Claude infuriated her, but she found herself laughing along with him anyways, perhaps due to his infectious charms. Even in the small moments of quiet respite, his fond gaze made her feel more at ease as she worked. While she was stumped, his calm advice helped her work through her obstacles. Edelgard found comfort in the cozy atmosphere he’d made for the both of them. It was unlike anything she'd ever felt before.

She found solace in his kind company.

*

Upon arriving at the council room that day, she’d found a gorgeous bouquet of flowers waiting on her desk. Petals as golden as the sun and as brilliantly deep as a blood moon filled the bouquet from top to bottom, all scattered as the falling leaves of a tree. Even the flower itself, the carnation; her favorite flower. The only one capable of leaving these here were…

“Ah. I see you’ve found the flowers I left for you.”

Edelgard spun around, clutching the bouquet close to her pounding chest. The heat radiating from her heart to her ears made her dizzy. “These are for me?”

Claude chuckled as he waltzed into the room. “Of course, silly. You’d mentioned to me that you’d like to see the carnations bloom this year.” Pulling open a chair, he fell into it easily. “Alas, you’re always cooped up _somewhere_ , so I figured I might as well bring them to you myself.”

“These are so…” she whispered in awe. _Ba-dum. Ba-dum._

“Breath-taking, isn’t it?”

She nodded shyly, running a finger over the soft petals. Even her hands felt burning hot; they were shaking from the intensity. _Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum._

“You like red, don’t you? I would’ve put some green carnations in there,” he sighed, “but they didn’t have any green ones. So I chose yellow instead, since it’s my _second_ favorite color.” She remained silent, lost in wonder as she continued to pet the flowers. “Think of them as a ‘thank-you’ gift from me.” He ran a hand through his hair, shifting his stare away from her, timidly. “After all, my plans wouldn’t be _anywhere_ _near_ being complete without your support. Now that we’re so close to the final stages, I truly believe that Fódlan and Almyra will be united under a new dawn.”

Edelgard smiled, a blush spreading across her cheeks. She shook her head, “No, I should be thanking _you_ , Claude. Not just for these flowers, but for all the effort you’ve put into making our dreams come to fruition.” _Ba-dum. Ba-dum._ Gently, she added, “You are truly one-of-a-kind.”

“The same can be said of you,” he beamed. Softly, donning a solemn expression, he continued, “I do hope you enjoy them, Edelgard. Take care of them well, in your room, alright?” Claude rose with a stretch and hung onto the door frame. Yawning, he said, “I’ll be heading out now.”

She snapped her head up to look at him. “Now?” she exclaimed. “But the meeting has yet to start!”

“I know.” He laughed somberly. “I think I’ll skip out on it today.” He turned his back to her, waving with the back of his hand. “I’m sure you’ll do fine without me for one meeting. See ya!”

With that, he left Edelgard alone with the bouquet of flowers. Her heart was still pounding as she pulled at the red carnations. She blinked her eyes, willing her heart to calm itself down; the heat inside of her was trying its hardest to escape, like a proud lion at a circus. Shaking her head, she took a deep breath to cool down.

“That was a rather sudden influx of…” Edelgard scrunched her face. “Of something.” She glanced down at the bouquet one more time, a quizzical look in her eye. Her heart skipped a beat.

“Red, huh?”

*

“Hubert?” He looked up from his papers.

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“I need you to find me a vase.”

“A vase? What for, Your Majesty?”

“Flowers, Hubert. I have flowers I’d like to keep in my room.”

“Oh,” he snickered. “Any preferences? Colors? Sizes?”

“…Green.”

“Green?” Hubert bent over his papers, writing a note to himself. “Anything else?”

Edelgard shook her head curtly. “Only green. I’d like to make up for,” her cheeks flushed as she fidgeted with her hands, “something.” _Ba-dum._

“Ah.” A devious smile spread across his face. “I see, Lady Edelgard.”

“W-what?”

He shook his head; his smile, knowing and teasing. “Nevermind me. I’ll see to it that you receive your green vase soon.”

*

Hubert had gotten her an elegant vase, from who-knows where, at her request. It was a lengthy jade vase, with golden rose accents engraved into it. While it didn’t personally fit the aesthetic of her room, she didn’t mind, on behalf of the troubles Hubert had gone through to get the vase to begin with. 

Edelgard wasn’t too familiar with how to care for flowers; she wasn’t very well-known for having a green-thumb after all. Consulting her close friend, Bernadetta, via letter was her only choice. _Not too much water. Keep them moist. Sun very necessary._

She planted the vase near her window, giving the flowers plenty of sunlight during the day. Every morning before she set out, Edelgard had made sure to change the water and give them a few good spritz, as per Bernadetta’s advice. She was just hoping that she was doing a good job, on behalf of these carnations being a gift from Claude.

*

“Oh, Edelgard!” Claude piped up as she was delved deep into her work.

“Hmm?”

“I’ve been meaning to ask you. How’ve the flowers been lately?”

“Frankly,” she looked up, grimacing, “not very good.” Remorsefully, she continued, “I suppose I’m not that great at gardening after all. I’ve been trying so _hard_ though.”

“You prolonged their survival, I’m sure of it. ” he chuckled. He leaned forward in his seat, concern written all over his face. “You look sad though. They’re just flowers, Edelgard. They don’t last very long after being picked, I think,” he reassured. “Most wouldn’t even last two weeks, compared to the three months you’ve spent caring for them.”

“Well, yes, but!” She shook her head, grumbling as she went back to her work. “I wanted to make them live a little longer. You gave them to me, after all.”

“I didn’t think you’d like them very much,” he said, astonished. She remained silent, stewing, as she moved her pen in long strokes against the paper. “Hmm. Well, _I_ think you did a great job, at least.” Claude sipped his tea as he watched her work in silence. Suddenly, he gasped dramatically, as if he was stuck with a bolt of brilliance. He declared, “Oh! I know what’ll cheer you up!”

“Look, Claude, if this is _another_ one of your schemes—” she warned.

“Come have dinner with me.” She snapped her head up with a gasp. There was a glitter to his eyes, which were locking onto Edelgard’s own. He served her a signature grin, beaming brightly enough to make the heat in her chest stir. _ba-Dum._

“Dinner?” She sighed exasperatedly, “You already know how busy I am with everything. I’m not sure if I could—”

“Exactly the reason why you need a break! Come on,” he coaxed, “it’ll be fun, don’t you think? It’ll kinda be like one of those last celebratory parties too, but you know. Just us.” _Ba-dum, ba-dum._

“I don’t know, Claude,” she tapped her pen against the table. “Won’t people talk if it’s just us?”

He shrugged carelessly. “I don’t really care much for what they’d think. I want to treat you to dinner, that’s all.” With a teasing edge to his voice, he smirked at her. “Are you afraid of being seen with me?”

“No! It’s nothing like that!” Edelgard frantically stammered out. He raised a knowing eyebrow, as he watched her flounder about. “I-It’s just that…Well, to be entirely honest…”

“Go on. I’m listening.” _Thump-thump-thump._ His verdant eyes bore into her, expectant. She felt sweat dribble down her neck.

“I-I…”

“You’re really cute when you’re nervous,” he laughed. “It’s okay, Edelgard; I’ll understand.”

“Cute?? Oh no, don’t misunderstand,” she warned, her voice quivering, “I simply haven’t been out in some time! People tend to talk nastily when they think our backs are turned.”

Claude chuckled heartily. “You’re worried about that? Trust me, it’s not that bad. Besides,” he winked, “we’ll be together through it all. There’s nothing to be concerned about.” He sat back in his seat, observing her. She felt that fluttering feeling in her stomach intensify. Sometimes she wondered if he ever knew what effects he had on her.

“W-well, if you say it’s fine then…” she tried to regain her composure. _Thump. Thump._ In a shaky, formal tone, she replied, “I’ll go to dinner with you.”

*

She woke up with her head throbbing in pain; the light shining in through her window intensified the pounding; it felt as if she was a bass drum playing a drum roll. Groaning, Edelgard shifted in her bed, so that her back was facing the light.

“Hubert!” she called crabbily. He immediately rushed in.

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

Groggily, she mumbled, “Could you shut the curtains for me? It’s hurting my head.”

“Of course.” Hubert hastily drew her curtains closed with a sigh. Turning to face her with a stern expression, he scolded her, “You should know better than to drink that much, Lady Edelgard. Look at the state you’ve brought yourself to.”

“I am aware, Hubert,” she grunted as she pulled her covers over her head. “It was a simple miscalculation on my part.”

“‘Miscalculation’…” He shook his head, dismayed. “Did _Claude_ coerce you to drink this much?”

“No. It was all my own fault. I fear that…” she paused. Dejectedly, she continued, “I fear I may have ruined the night. And the worst part of it all, is that I don’t even remember _half_ of it.”

“You could always ask him if it bothers you so much,” he said wryly. 

“I couldn’t do that, Hubert,” she sighed. “Besides, I’m in no condition to do anything today.”

“I agree; I’m cancelling all your council meetings today. I’ll bring you something to eat, Lady Edelgard. Afterwards, rest.”

Pouting, she sat up, rubbing her temples. “Don’t cancel them! I’d rather you substitute for me, than cancel them!” 

“You already know how the board thinks of me.”

_Oh yes, that’s right. The whole ‘Gay Vampire’ debacle._ “Fine,” she groaned. “Even _I_ will not force you to endure that. Hurry then; this headache is getting worse.”

\-------------------- 

Dinner had been going smoothly. No one had uttered a word when they walked in, and nothing when they sat down. It was bound to be commotion-free. 

They had spent the time casually chatting about recent books they’d read, or the kitchen mishap of the week. When dinner arrived however, the conversation took for an _awful_ turn:

“I’ll be going back to Almyra after our plan succeeds.”

Her eyes widened, as she took a sip of her drink. It took all her restraint to not spit it out. “You’re what?”

Claude cut off a piece of his steak, chewing it as he spoke. “I _am_ the King of Almyra after all. I can’t just leave it, after spending all this time trying to make it better. Slowly, but surely, our efforts are bearing fruit.”

“I know that, but… It still hurts.” Her eyes were downcast as she poked at her food. 

“Don’t look so sad, Edelgard.” He tried his best to beam at her. “We’ll always be friends, won’t we? Just write me a letter anytime you feel like it.”

“I suppose… Though friendship by letter isn’t the same, whatsoever.”

“I guess you’re right. But look on the brightside! At least we’ll have made the world a better, connected place.”

Edelgard nodded, glumly. 

“Aww,” he teased, “are you going to miss me?”

“Well, how could I not?” she exclaimed defensively. Her short outburst had turned heads, but it wasn’t enough to keep eyes on them. Claude was surprised; he stopped chewing, as he stared at her with wide eyes. “Er, well that is to say,” Edelgard softened her voice, “I suppose that I had gotten used to your company.” She sighed wryly, as she forced a smile. “I’ll just have to get used to not having it anymore.” She took a deep swig from her glass, her lipstick leaving a stain.

*

“Edelgard, you shouldn’t drink that much!” Claude cautioned. She stared him right in the eyes as she chugged another drink. Her cheeks were all flushed, tinted a bright pink, which was unusual for her.

“And why not?” she slurred. “You’re gonna be leaving and going back to Almyra, aren’t you? Let’s make the most of this time left!”

“Well, yeah. I suppose so…” He picked at his beard nervously. “Still, are you sure you can handle _this_ much? You’ve already had five glasses of that stuff!”

“Doesn’t matter,” she hiccuped. Edelgard waved over a waiter. Holding up her glass, she asked, “Pleash, can you get me another one??”

Claude gave him an apologetic smile. “Sorry, don’t mind her. Please bring us the bill instead.” The waiter nodded, as he turned away from the two.

“Claudeee, why’d you hafta,” she pouted, “send him away?”

“We’re leaving. I need to get you to bed. You’ve had too much for tonight, that much is obvious.”

“Oh come on! Why do you,” she hiccuped, “suddenly care?”

“Huh?” He was taken aback. “Why do you—” Face-palming, he shook his head. “Nevermind. I’ll just chalk it up as the alcohol talking.”

*

Edelgard’s arm was draped around Claude’s neck as he tried his best to support her. She was stumbling along, hiccuping and giggling and mumbling nonsense as he walked her back. He grunted as he adjusted her weight against himself.

She giggled, “Claudeee, why do you have to leave me?” He remained silent as they trudged along. “You’re so nice. Even after I,” she hiccuped, “treated you _soo_ bad.”

“You didn’t treat me badly,” he mumbled. “At first, maybe, but it was understandable.”

She ignored him, continuing on. “You’re so nice to me. _Too_ nice to me.” She snorted, “But you’re leaving. I never even… got to tell you.”

“Tell me what?” Claude’s interest piqued. He stopped walking to look at her. Edelgard was _so_ out of it that she didn’t even notice they had stopped moving. She didn’t even seem like that uptight, stern empress that she was known for being. Even when it was the two of them, alone, she still left up some barriers that he never seemed able to take down. Yet now, here she was. Letting everything inside of her pour out.

She breathed a labored breath. “I wanted to tell you how much you mean to me.”

“…Me?” His eyes widened in surprise.

“Those flowers you gave me… I love them so much.” She giggled loopily. “Whenever I think of you, my face gets all hot. My chest too. Hehehe, kinda like now~” He grimaced as she continued blabbering. “I wasn’t even planning on telling you because,” she hiccuped, “because I’m not nice to you. Hehe, you’re so nice, I’m _positive_ you don’t love me _back_.” Edelgard yawned, almost falling over. Claude reached out quickly, grasping her mid-fall by her torso. She didn’t seem to notice she was falling to begin with, forcing him to pull her into a steady stance against himself with a grunt. He urged her to continue walking as he bore most of the weight.

“Edelgard…”

“I’m so tired, Claude. I wanna sleeeeeep.”

“Almost there, princess,” he said through clenched teeth.

She giggled into his shoulder. “Who’s a princess? I’m da… Emperor! Hehe, emperor of… flames!” 

“Okay, Miss Emperor… of Flames. Do you rule the flames?” 

“I try, but it’s not very easy! They’re the very hot ones! They go _crackle, crackle_ , everywhere! Moshtly in my chest though.” Edelgard nudged against his shoulder. “Whenever I’m around you, _or_ just thinking about you~”

“You like me, do you?”

Nodding vigorously, she replied, “Uh-huh. I like lots about you.”

Curious, he decided to probe. “Well, what exactly do you like about me anyways?”

“Das eazy. Your confidence, your laugh, your calm gaze, your conzideration, your _shmart_ brain, not to mention that _lovely_ beard of yours. Your eyes are so entrancing, I _loveeee_ it.” She snorted as she giggled. “Must I go on?” Claude’s heart was pounding loud in his chest, reminding him of a classic war drum.

His cheeks were tinted a rusty red as he coughed. “No need, I’m already embarrassed.” _Ba-dum_.

She ignored him. “You always shtay with me, even when,” she hiccuped, “even when you don’t have to. It’s reallyyyy admirable, hehe.” 

“I have my own reasons,” he mumbled. “I stay because I…”  _ Ba-dum, ba-dum. _ “…want to.”

“I don’t get you, at all.”

“Nevermind, then.”

“Haha, who would’ve ever thought that I would end up falling  _ in love _ with you?” She smiled tiredly, beginning to slouch as they walked, as if she was exhausted from holding herself up. “You don’t even have a clue about what I’m feeling like, do you?”

His eyes crinkled fondly, misty-eyed, as he smiled sheepishly. “I’d like to think I have an idea.”

\--------------------

Edelgard had some heavy explaining to do to her council members once she returned. Hubert had advised her to not mention  _ anything _ about having gone out with Claude, or drinking herself away into submission. The easiest excuse that came to her head was: “Something urgently needed my attention, my apologies.” She felt their disbelieving eyes boring into her as she took her seat and commenced the meeting.

*

Disappointedly enough, Claude hadn’t shown up at all. She was expecting him to at  _ least _ make a late entrance sometime through the middle of the meeting. But no. His seat remained empty; she’d eyed it multiple times, crossing her fingers that he’d show up.

Nothing.

*

She hadn’t seen Claude in the halls in passing lately. Nor were his belongings placed meticulously at his desk when she’d arrive. He’d show up only when everyone else had already been seated, and left as soon as she called dismiss. It had her wondering: “Did I do something wrong?”

*

During meetings, he wouldn’t even maintain eye contact with her, no matter how hard she’d try. His eyes made more of an effort to avoid her, getting to the point that he’d rather preach at Sir Barks-a-Lot instead of the Empress herself. Her anxieties were plaguing the back of her mind: “What did I do?”

*

He didn’t stick around while she worked, nor did he bring any tea. Once everyone had dispersed, Edelgard would be back to sitting at an empty desk, slaving away over the same old papers in a darkening room as the day passed her by. It wasn’t until she’d lost his company that she realized how much of a difference it’d made to her days.

*

“As you all know,” Claude announced, “I will be returning to Almyra after tomorrow’s meeting. The year I’ve spent here in Fódlan, working on this unification project among the best of the best, and acquainting myself with all of you, don’t think I will  _ ever _ forget it. It was refreshing to remember my previous time here. With the new trade routes in place, and better communication among our two nations’ leaders, I already see a new dawn on the horizon. And although this is just the beginning, over time, everything we’ve been fighting against will be unraveled wholly.

“I hope that every single one of you will remember this experience as vividly as I will. Because for the first time, in a long time, our worlds will be united as friends. No more fear. No more anguish. No more discrimination. This  _ is _ a new dawn, for all of mankind.”

As he sat back down after his final remarks, he was rewarded with a standing ovation. Edelgard remained seated, unwilling to move. Claude’s eyes wandered across everyone’s smiling faces, observing the impact of his words, until they had finally settled upon her own glowering visage. After months of avoiding them, his eyes connected once again with her own. Empty, yet somehow filled with such sadness; his eyes were like a void sucking her in.  _ Ba-dum. _ She felt a sob start to build up in her chest, swelling and swelling until she couldn’t hold it in anymore. No one seemed to notice as she broke her gaze away, a single tear slipping out of the corner of her eye.

*

Tomorrow was the day. She’d told herself it’d be okay. They each had their own lives to live, after all. Yet, for some reason, she found sleep to evade her. Twisting and turning in bed, Edelgard couldn’t get her mind off of tomorrow. Was she excited? Scared? Anxious?

In her dreams, Claude’s wide, toothy smile was all she saw. It opened and laughed, mocking her indecisiveness. It whispered ‘Almyra’ repetitively, rounding around and around until the word couldn’t be deciphered anymore, reminding her over and over again of tomorrow’s events. 

She jolted up in bed, a cold sweat sticking to her skin. Panting and gasping for air, Edelgard rubbed her head:

“What do I do?”

* 

Edelgard’s eyes were glued to Claude during the entirety of the meeting. It was his final meeting; the last send-off, and his permanent dismissal from the council. She’d noticed that occasionally he’d sneak a peek at her, only to quickly glance away once he realized she was staring back. He was avoiding her, and it was deeply annoying. He was a coward, she thought. A coward, who somehow, had stolen her heart with fleeting comments and glances, alongside his silly small talk. 

She despised him for that. She despised that  _ he _ of all people was the one to instill these  _ feelings _ in her. She hated that he feigned ignorance, when she was  _ confident _ that he knew about the fire burning so brightly in her heart. She hated how smug he was about it all, toying with her as if she was a simple play thing. She loathed… 

She shook her head mentally. Edelgard didn’t  _ really _ hate him, did she? That soft warmth engulfing her whole body told her otherwise.

“Meeting dismissed,” she spat, coldly; her stern eyes watching for Claude. Everyone rose at once, including Edelgard. Her focus honed itself on him, discerning him from the wave of her officers; his eyes widening as he noticed her intense stare, a bead of sweat forming at his temple. Claude, wanting to escape as soon as possible, pushed past the sea of people hastily, to their dismay. Edelgard rushed after him, doing the same, earning grumbles. This time, she wasn’t going to let him get away. She was determined to confront him.

*

“Claude!” she desperately called out, as she slipped through the door. “Claude, I want—  _ need _ to talk with you!” He shook his head, saying nothing, as he picked up his pace. Reluctantly, Edelgard lengthened her stride as well. Though it was hard enough with her short legs, she powered through the strain.

“Claude!”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Edelgard!” his voice quivered ashamedly. “Forget it!” He resorted into a full-on sprint through the hall, leaving Edelgard in the dust.

“Dammit!” she shouted. “I need to get to those stables quickly! Hopefully, Hubert did what I had asked him to,” she mumbled, as she continued her chase.

*

Edelgard clicked her tongue against the back of her teeth, startling Claude to turn to face her. His eyes, wide from the initial scare, squinted into a glower at the sight of her.

“Where is my wyvern?”

“Your wyvern is fine. I just had everything moved to another stable, at least for today.”

“So,” he drew out awkwardly, “you had this planned the whole time?”

“I had a feeling you’d try something like this on me.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “And I was right; you were planning on leaving without saying goodbye.”

“Whaddya mean?” he chuckled nervously. “I  _ said _ goodbye.”

“To everyone, you said a generic goodbye. I would’ve thought that you would save a special goodbye for me,  _ friend _ .” Her glare was as cold as ice. “But your attitude these past few months have made me doubt otherwise. Even today,” she raised her voice, straining to keep composure, “you ran away from me.”

Claude stared at the floor, clenching his fists tightly. He had a pained grimace painting his face, as Edelgard continued. “Why?  _ Why _ are you doing this?”

“I…” he opened his mouth, but no words dared leave. 

“Did I do something?”

“No,” he uttered under his breath. “Let’s just say goodbye now and let it go; it’s better this way.”

“Better?” she scoffed. “How?” She shook out of rage, anxiety, who knows. “You said we’d always be friends.  _ This  _ doesn’t seem like friendship to me!”

“I know!” he snapped. She stood in place, solid as rock, but her twisted face gave away her discomfort. Guiltily, he softened his voice, “I just… I can’t stand this dancing around. It’s unbearable.”

“‘Dancing around?’” her voice rose. “ _ You’re  _ the one dancing around! You’re so reluctant to even speak to me, let alone face me. And I hate it! I hate that you’re leaving, and I’m so scared that you’ll forget all about me when you go back to Almyra!” Claude remained solemnly silent as she continued ranting, her whole body shaking; her hands were wagging all around. “You’re already ignoring me, how can I be so sure you’ll even respond to  _ any _ letters I’d write! You’re a liar and I absolutely despise you so much!” He flinched at her words. Edelgard suddenly felt the heat of her anger flush to her cheeks, ashamedly. Reaching out a hand, she tried to apologize, “Claude, I…” 

“No, you’re the liar.” He shook his head disappointedly. He muttered dejectedly under his breath. “…You really don’t remember anything.”

“…Remember what?”

“What happened during our dinner.”

“If it was the drunkenness, I apologize,” she said sheepishly. “I had  _ no _ excuse to drink that much to begin with,” she started, “and I—”

“You said you loved me,” he interrupted abruptly. 

She blinked her eyes once, twice. Her brain was struggling to process what Claude had just said. “I said—”

“You said you loved me, Edelgard,” he repeated firmly. Slowly, he muttered, “They say a drunk man’s words are a sober man’s thoughts.” She gawked at him, disbelieving. 

“There’s no way that I…” she blushed.

“You did. You told me all the things that you loved about me, you told me that I made you feel giddy whenever I’m around, you told me that you liked my beard and my eyes.” He looked up at her, fire in his eyes; it blew out the blush in her cheeks easily. He stepped toward her with slow, deliberate steps. “You said  _ all _ of that, and you don’t even remember it?”

“That was months ago!” she started, locked into place. “I was… too drunk to know what I was saying. You should’ve taken it with a grain of salt!”

“Yeah, maybe I should’ve. But I can just  _ tell _ when someone is lying. And let me tell you.” Claude was right before her now, and she could feel his heavy breaths on her. It sent shivers down her spine as she gazed up timidly at him.

“You  _ weren’t _ lying,” he growled.  _ Ba-dum, ba-dum. _ “Some part of me thinks you drank that night to drown out your sorrow.”

“S-sorrow?” Edelgard stammered, jumping backwards. “Sorrow for what?”

“You  _ know _ .” 

“I don’t!” She snapped. “Yes, I may have been a  _ tad _ bit saddened when you announced you were going to go back to Almyra,” she admitted, “but that is  _ not _ the same as sorrow!”

  
“And you called  _ me _ a liar, Edelgard,” he scoffed. “You can’t even be honest with your own feelings. You’re so scared over nothing; just _ admit _ it.”

“Our friendship is more important than some…” she hesitated. “… _ silly _ feelings I had for you!”

“Then give me back my wyvern, and let me go.” Claude turned his back to her. “If those ‘silly feelings’ of yours truly mean nothing to you, then you’ll let me return to Almyra. You’ll be  _ perfectly _ fine with writing me letters, and  _ nothing _ between us will change.”  _ Ba-Dum. Ba-dumm.  _ He sighed, starting to walk out of the stables. “After all, it’s not like it’d work out between us anyways,” he added scornfully. “That’s what you said too, after all.”

She sucked in a breath; her mind raced, as her heart thrummed loudly in her chest, searching for a way to stall him.  _ No, no, no! I won’t let this happen! I can’t let him leave me! _

“No!” she blurted out, latching onto his hand. He craned his neck to look at her. “I’m wrong!”

“Edelgard?”

“Please, don’t go! I don’t want you to go back to Almyra! It’ll  _ never _ be the same if you aren’t here by my side!” she started shakily, clutching her chest and closing her eyes. Tears spilled out from the corners anyways. “You may be right; I  _ am _ scared of the heartache that comes with loving you. I’ve been a liar this whole time.” Her breath hitched in her throat. “But I have no choice, do I? I can’t keep you here. I can’t  _ make _ you reciprocate my feelings. I can’t offer you everything you’d need or want, I’m awful at showing affection, I’m not—” Edelgard’s rambling was cut off when Claude stole her words away with a passionate, tearful kiss to her lips. He held her head gently between his two hands, resting them on her cheeks as he poured all of his feelings into kissing her. She stood unresponsive, holding her breath in disbelief; tears were streaming down her face, clouding her vision. Her heart pounded powerfully in her chest; her situation became aware to her. The man she adored, attached to her lips; his burning passion was addicting. With a slight gasp, she melted into his touch, fluttering her eyes shut as she held her fists tight against her chest. For a moment, it felt as if they were the only two people in the world.

“Hah…” Claude smiled, tears in his eyes, as he finally parted from her with a pant. He caressed her face, a gentle look in his eyes. “I don’t care about  _ any _ of that, silly.”

Her cheeks burned, embarrassed. “You don’t?”

“I don’t need a reason to love you, Edelgard.”

“You…” her eyes widened as she gaped at him. “You  _ love _ me? But then… why did you…?” She groaned, dropping her facing into her hands, embarrassedly. “Ugh, this is  _ not _ funny, Claude!”

“H-hey, don't get so mad! I figured you needed some time to think about your feelings. To see if you truly felt the way you spoke. I hope you can forgive me,” he chuckled awkwardly. He whistled cheekily. “To think though, I almost lost you in the process. Talk about a gamble!”

“You never stop scheming, do you?” she sighed, exasperated. “This is quite elaborate, that I'm rather ashamed I hadn't seen it before.”

He shook his head, a cocky smirk spreading on his face. “Schemes are my specialty, _Your_ _Majesty_.”

“Claude…” she cautioned.

“I’m just messing with you,” he teased. He wiped the smile off from his face, locking eyes with her.  _ Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dumm. _

“Come with me to Almyra,” he whispered breathlessly. He reached for her hand, planting a kiss atop it.

“I…” He waited expectantly, patient. Edelgard searched his eyes, hoping to look for an answer. His eyes were calm and calculating. She couldn’t find a direct answer hidden beneath such a cold exterior. 

“I can’t.” She mourned, looking down at their shoes. “Not yet, at least. I have to bring Fódlan back to balance before I can run away with you.”

“I know,” he whispered, squeezing her hand in his and running a thumb over it softly. “I’m willing to wait for you.”

~ _ Two years later _

A sunset. It’d been so long since she’d seen one. It was lovely, she’d realized. The swirling of pinks and oranges and yellows and reds, melting all together into a mural; a gentle summer breeze carefully caressing her skin. It reminded her of simple days, where she’d spent painting portraits of all those who she loved and admired in the pure solitude of nature.

State matters had always demanded all of her attention and time. But it was all worth it, she decided. With her work finally completed, and a successor appointed, she was free to see as many sunsets as she’d desire. Alongside… 

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” he sighed.

“I’d forgotten  _ how _ beautiful.”

“If you weren’t in such a rush all the time, you never would’ve.”

“I know,” she groaned. “But what you call ‘hastiness’ I call—”

“Efficiency,” he finished. “I’ve read  _ plenty _ of letters to know the end of that phrase.”

Edelgard blushed, timidly tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “Er, well, yes.”

  


“Two years, huh?” he closed his eyes. “You didn’t waste any time.”

“What do you mean, Claude?” she asked, twisting to face him with a quizzical look in her eyes.

Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes and turned to face her, with a smile. “I mean, you did  _ all _ of this, in the span of two years. Destroying the class system, invalidating crests, reforming the government. It’s no easy feat.”

“You give me far too much credit. I wouldn’t be able to do something like this if it weren’t for a…  _ certain _ someone.” She leant against his shoulder, shutting her eyes. 

Claude chuckled, grasping her hand in his. “I know. I still think you deserve all this praise though.”

The two stood in comfortable silence, simply feeling each other's breathing and weight. No background could ever be more perfect for this moment than a sunset.

After some time, swaying with the breeze, Claude broke the silence.

“El?”

She cracked open an eye. “Hmm?” 

“I've always wanted to ask you… if you ever regretted the war.”

She sucked in a breath. “I'll be honest, maybe I would have, if I hadn't had all my allies and the professor by my side. But I find that for all of this, it was worth it.”

“Even if you had died for it?”

“If I would have to die for my ideals, so be it,” she sighed contentedly, shutting her eyes once more. “Why do you ask, Claude?”

“No reason. I was just wondering, if things would've turned out differently.” He squeezed her hand. “I also find that I wouldn't have things any other way. Give me a moment.” He moved away from her, leaving her to stand upright herself. 

Reaching into his pocket, Claude pulled out a hand-sized, felt box. He knelt down, still holding Edelgard’s hand. 

“Claude?”

Clearing his throat, he pressed a kiss to her hand. “There's no time better than now. Edelgard von Hresvelg, I,  _ Khalid _ von Reigan, humbly ask for your hand in marriage.” She clasped her free hand over her mouth, trying hard to not break down right then and there. He continued, voice quivering and eyes glossy, “After all these years, I’m tired of waiting. Your work is all done with, too,” he added sheepishly. “So I ask you… Will you run away to Almyra with me, and become my Queen?”

Edelgard gawked at him, stuttering gibberish before being able to form a proper sentence. “Of course I would!” she exclaimed, lifting him up and embracing him. She couldn't stop the tears from running down her face as she held him, burying her face in his neck. He stroked her hair, smiling to himself.

“I'm so glad,” he exhaled into her hair. “I'm so, so glad.”

She pulled away, her face a tearful mess. Her purple eyes locked onto his verdant ones. She leaned in, trapping his lips in a chaste kiss. He tilted his head, deepening the kiss, as he moved his hands down to rest at her waist.

*

Edelgard twisted her wrist, admiring the ring donning her finger. “Khalid, huh? I'll need some time to get used to it, but… I love it, even still.”

“W-wait!” he blushed furiously. “I'm not ready for you to start calling me that!”

“Too late,  _ Khalid _ ,” she nudged his shoulder teasingly. “We’ll have to get used to it  _ sometime _ .”

“So this is what it feels like to be teased,” he groaned. “On a more serious note though,” he sighed, reaching to her hand. Claude ran a thumb over her ring. “This will be a new dawn for us.”

“One we will walk into, hand-in-hand. Regardless of anything,” she smiled, “I will be right by your side.”

The corners of his eyes crinkled in pure delight. “I'm so glad I met you.”

Finally, all the barriers were broken.

**Author's Note:**

> Whew! Thanks for reading! I really tried to get this out before school totally swamps me, so I really hope you enjoy it!
> 
> As always, thank you for supporting my work... 
> 
> ESSAYONS!!


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